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Small businessman's trailer found; another stolen in similar crime

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BATON ROUGE - A business is back on its feet after a stolen $40,000 crawfish trailer has been returned. The trailer was taken from Cajun Seafood Express early Tuesday morning.

It was an anonymous tip that led to the recovery. Someone called owner Donnie Leger saying the trailer was spotted in Erwinville. After calling police, the trailer was found sitting near a home and returned to Baton Rouge.

“That heart I lost two days ago is back,” said Leger.

Leger says relief is an understatement. The trailer was a pivotal part to his shop, allowing him to boil up to 2,500 pounds of the Louisiana delicacy on the road. Despite being stolen, the trailer is in good shape.

“It was a quick recovery so they didn't have much time to do damage,” said Leger.

The banner that wrapped around the top is all that’s missing. The propane tanks and large pots that sat on top of the trailer are all still in tact.

But that's exactly how another business owner feels right now. Joseph Price owns Winborne Flea Market. He, too, had a trailer stolen from his business Tuesday morning. Less than two hours after Leger's trailer was taken.

"Everything was done in less than five minutes, so these guys are professionals. They're good,” Price said.

After looking at his surveillance video, Price noticed there are some similarities between the two crimes.

“I noticed that it didn't have a tailgate. I noticed that the grill on the truck was all black, and that's kind of unique,” he said.

Price believes the same people who took his trailer also took Leger's. He's hoping for one more similarity to happen in this case: that his property is found and returned to him.

“It was a vital part of my business, and I really need to get that trailer back,” Price said.

The crawfish trailer was found at a house on Flynn Road in Erwinville. The Baton Rouge Police Department is investigating this case and says there have been no arrests at this time.